Month: April 2012

VMware has released a mobile client for their newly released MyVMware page. For years one fo the biggest issues with VMware has been the confusing licensing and user management. With the release of MyVMware, many of these issues have been resolved. One thing I will enjoy is the ability to grab a license key directly from my phone when I need it. After working for a reseller and now a vendor, both big VMware partners, I often need to test software that it can be a pain to go grab a license key from the portal only to not be able to use cut and paste and have to type the key in. Now I can open my app, grab a key and still type it in, but it is much quicker. I took a few screenshots of the app and listed them below so you can get an idea what the app can do.

1. Start by logging in:

2. You then have to approve the EULA (Surprise!)

3. You will then see your profile

4. You now have to pick your folders (whatever ones you have created on the MyVMware website)

5. Once you go into the folder you can see the products under it.

6. The select the product and click next (you have to do that each time, that is kind of annoying) and you will see the license keys

Click on the power icon on the top to logout, or the gear to set your refresh and timeout time

This weekend I got the great news that I was selected again as a VMware vExpert for 2012. Sounds impressive right? To some people in the VMware community and IT as a whole it does, but many people have no idea what the vExpert designation means. As a second year vExpert, I have been lucky in that I got to be part of a rather exclusive group. For 2012 there have been 382 vExperts announce globally. I wanted to break that down a little more and found that of those 149 are first time vExperts. 216 are returning from being a vExpert in 2011 and only 74 have been vExperts since the first year in 2009.

This is a group not made of technical experts, although many if not all of the vExperts are very knowledgable about VMware and the related products, but rather more of an ambassador program. One that is leading the charge to further virtualization in all industries. Many of these vExperts have been the consultants that pushed virtual machines out of R&D and into the mainstream. Others have been internal staffers that “saw the light” and helped their companies move to the cutting edge. Regardless of what the vExperts do for work, they all go above and beyond when it comes to their outreach. Many are very active in the social media space. You can look up the announced 2012 vExperts on Maish Saidel-Keesing‘s twitter list. (https://twitter.com/?category=people#!/maishsk/vmware-vexpert-2012). Others have led VMware User Groups for years and you can find them on the newly created user workspaces on myVMUG.org or organized and ran local vBeer events. Others have written books or maintained podcasts, some have even spent countless hours helping others on the message boards as users and moderators.

It goes without saying that I am humbled to be included in a fantastic group. And for those of you who are not yet vExperts, know that while technical knowledge is always very important, there is a reward for being outgoing, helpful and social. The vExperts have been able to be ambassadors and often trend setters by gaining access to previews and betas thanks to the great support team at VMware. Alex Maier has taken charge of this motley group and given direction and guidance and the godfather of the group John Troyer has given many days and nights evangelizing the cause. Thank you to them for their help and I hope I can continue and be able to announce a 2013 vExpert designation as well.